Page 79 of Impulse

“Why do you care?I’m nothing to you.”

But she could be everything to him, if she gave them a chance.“I always keep an eye on my investments.”

Her eyes narrowed.“You know I can walk right out of here, and there’s nothing you can do about it.I mean, you can’t force me to stay.”

He cocked his eyebrows.“You want to bet?”

“Ass.”She splashed him.“Go away.”

“I’ll be back.Don’t do something you’ll regret.”

A glimpse of the old Jillian appeared as amusement flickered in her eyes.“Like what?Ignore your arrogance and leave?Possibly.Drown myself?Not over them.”

Them who?Her family or the thugs?

CHAPTER 14

“Do I have any appointments tomorrow?”Lex asked Paula as she followed him into his office.

“I rescheduled them all before you left for St.Martin.Most of them were okay with next week.”

“Good.”He walked around the desk and pulled open a drawer.“I’ll be working from home, so send me the files on Valley View Towers and Calaveras Estate.”

“Mr.Calaveras is not returning our calls.He’s out of town and his assistant refuses to confirm it, but I know someone who knows someone in his office.”

Paula and her sources never ceased to amaze him.He was convinced she belonged to a secret organization of personal assistants who traded information.David Calaveras owned the property adjacent to Valley View Towers, a high-rise they’d acquired last year but hadn’t started restoring.It was an old building in Culver City with an interesting history.He planned to restore it, not dismantle it, but he needed the land around it to make that happen.

“Calaveras is in Vegas,” Paula continued.“He won’t be back for another week.”

“Get him on the phone.”Lex sat and plucked his private cell phone from his waist.

Paula moved closer, furrows on her brow, honey-brown eyes apologetic.“I’ve tried.He’s not in any of the hotels or resorts.Maybe he’s staying with a friend.”

That was possible.The man had a serious gambling habit.High rollers like him always had friends arranging private lodgings and games.

“Don’t worry about it.I’ll find him.Just place the files on the shared folder and mark them so I can find them easily.”

He dialed his mother’s number.He’d hoped to tell her to start planning his wedding, but he wasn’t sure where things were headed with Jillian.He was pleased she’d agreed to come home with him, but that didn’t mean jack.She might have done it to avoid her brothers.

“Lex.This is a surprise,” his mother said.

“I have to cancel tonight, Mom.Something came up that I have to deal with.”

“Is everything okay?”Concern laced her words.

“Yes, nothing for you to worry about.I’ll take care of it, and we’ll be back on track.”He and Jillian.He must find a way to gain her trust.

Estelle chuckled.“Work and more work.That’s all you ever do, my darling.If I hadn’t met Jillian, I’d be convinced you never date.Don’t worry about me.I have plenty to keep me occupied.”

“I still need your help with a project, Mom.Do you remember David Calaveras?He used to play golf with Uncle Sean when I was young.”

Estelle laughed.“Of course I remember Calaveras.He cut quite a dashing figure in those days.A confirmed bachelor.Flying here and there on a whim.He owned a few horses and would place the most outrageous bets on them.”She laughed.“He had an eye for horseflesh and always won.”

“Would he talk to you if you contacted him?”

“I don’t know, dear.He and I haven’t spoken since your father died.What is this about?”

He explained about the property and the difficulty he was facing contacting Calaveras.